SALT LAKE CITY — In the end, Russell Westbrook made big plays. He has a knack for that.

But long before the Thunder point guard shut the door on the Jazz on Monday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena, he made headlines for his interaction with Utah fans.

Sometimes, he has a knack for that, too.

Westbrook got into a verbal exchange with a Jazz fan and his wife late in the second quarter, multiple Thunder players said, with the fan allegedly telling Westbrook to “get on your knees.” It ended, a video of the incident showed, with Westbrook telling the fan, “I swear to God, I’ll fuck you up. You and your wife. I’ll fuck you up.”

A source told The Athletic the interaction started when the fan — later identified as Shane Keisel — asked Westbrook about icing his knees when he went to the bench. Westbrook explained that he uses a heating pad, not ice, and the conversation escalated from there.